"Let's set that aside for now."
The bearded man said seriously:
"Why didn't you go to the shelter designated by the Holy City? There are guards stationed there. It's much safer than here."
"The shelter... the guards...?"
The woman hesitated.
"Earlier, I heard the guards talking about things like 'a riot at the Earth Beast Workshop,' 'drawing lots,' and 'supply distribution,' so I didn't dare approach them."
"I thought the Holy City might already have enough on its plate..."
"Even if we begged the guards to let us in, we'd only be adding to their troubles. It might end badly for everyone."
"So we thought we'd find somewhere nearby to settle for now and see if we could fend for ourselves. We just didn't expect..."
The woman looked at the injured people around her, her face full of grief.
A girl beside her looked up. "Mom, are we going to die?"
"No." The woman lowered her head and said gently:
"Sweetheart... not while Mom's here."
"But Uncle Anthony and Aisha... they look like they really might die." The girl gazed sadly at the wounded on the ground.
"I'm a little hungry, too..."
"Didn't you say we could eat our fill once we reached the Holy City? When will we get there?"
Her daughter's questions left the woman drowning in guilt.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm so sorry..."
She crouched and held her child tight as tears silently slid down her cheeks.
The bearded old man sighed and led Yan Huan and the young man aside.
Once they reached a quiet spot, he said:
"After everything they've been through, anyone would struggle to keep their emotions in check. Let's give the mother and daughter some space."
"These foreigners are worse off than I expected."
"If we leave them like this, they'll last